Assignment

Music Valley

▫️ No proxemics

As Music Valley is part of Meta Horizon Worlds, it automatically includes the safety feature of Personal Boundary. This feature’s default preference is to only allow friends to be within your pre-defined space vicinity. That being said, I’m quiet confused with the whole experience as I seem to be able to easily pass through other people. Perhaps, on their perspective, I’m just bumping off. But on my end, it looks like I’m able to intrude other people’s space and this might be a problem as there may be a mismatch between my personal boundary preference with other people’s.

▫️ No establishment virtual behavior expectations

The application does not provide any instruction on how to navigate the scene, therefore there was a lack of initial understanding of what the virtual behavior is expected to be. There was an interesting encounter (see next paragraph) that came across me, and I got stunned, do not know what to do. This might be the very implication of what happened when there is no established virtual behavior expectations.

▫️ Quick-action remediation tools for tough situations

The mute prompt is useful and provides a quick-action remediation tools that do not require user to perform any action to trigger the menu.

▫️ Interesting Encounters

There is a person that repeatedly greeted me (“Hi Miss, hi Miss, why are you not talking back to me?”). At first, I thought it is just background sound from the game, but I realised that it is another user talking to me because it was repeated and the character just keeps coming closer to me. I was immediately prompted with an offer to mute the character.

Kaiju City Showdown

▫️ Establish virtual behavior expectations

When I entered the scene, I was immediately transported into a game that is still running with not much instructions of the game goal other than stating the button usage (“A” for floating and front button for firing laser).

▫️ Interesting Encounter

There seems to be more children in this game. I heard a lot of children voices, screaming at the top of their lungs and in this case mute is a much needed option. Though I did not choose to mute as I found their commentary quite interesting. A child start screaming “Big daddy” and this reminds me that this virtual space does not guarantee safety for everyone that is underage or a minor. As you’re masked behind your character, noone knows what your age is and you can even pretend that you are not your age.

Climbing Buildings (browser VR)

▫️ No establishment of virtual behavior expectations / instructions

There is a notable difference between the Meta Horizon Worlds and this browser VR app that they lack even more instructions and no information on how to tap out. As the watch does not appear on the wrist, there is only an option to click the Meta button to quit. When this Browser VR app begins, it immediately launches users to the game with no prior instructions or any explanation of the goal of the game (which might be the intention!). It assumes that users know how to grab the rope that will connect to the buildings.

▫️ No proxemics needed?

Ironically, as non-hedonomic as it is, it is the most exciting application that I tried. It is mostly solitary, and almost sports-like. I do get dizzy quicker than other apps that I tried, and this is a very important part that needs to be addressed by the game, to prompt user to opt out if they’re feeling dizzy.

The fact that it is a solitary game perhaps eliminate the proximity and behavior expectations requirement.

▫️ Allow people to easily opt in or out

For all games, I’ve used the Meta button very frequently to pause/quit. There is no specific instructions to use this button to exit. It was intended to be a settings. However, since this button was always introduced to users very early on when they set up the headset, it becomes easier to associate this with a “tap out” button.

Overall

▫️ Unclear quick action remediation tools

For the two Meta Horizon Worlds apps as listed above, quick action remediation tools are always available on the virtual watch on the wrist, but may not be apparent to new user. There is no specific instructions that require user to confirm (that they have read) to let them be aware of this opt out option before beginning the game.

▫️ No invitation to define preferences in advance:

Amongst all the games listed above, there is no offer to define personal boundaries that is specific to each game. However, it can be globally set up in the headset settings.

Notes

Sexual Harrassment in Virtual Reality - Taylor Lorenz (2016)

Virtual Hand Illusion

How?

- Code of conduct is informed first before beginning

- User preference is always being asked before beginning

- Easy opt in/out

- Proxemics (Space boundary)

Tools > Update AndroidManifest.xml